August 28, 2007

Spiritual Growth and Transformation Are Accelerated by Forgiveness

Spiritual growth and spiritual transformation are great, but have you ever felt "stuck" spiritually? It’s like treading water, you’re not going backwards but you’re not going forwards either. You’re doing the things you are supposed to do but you still aren’t making spiritual progress.

There could be many reasons God has you in a certain place, but my spiritual growth stops when I have an issue with unforgiveness. Initially, I try to justify why I am right for feeling as I do. That’s like pouring salt on an open wound, it doesn’t work. My next step is denial, pretending I don’t have an issue with unforgiveness. Denial doesn’t work either.

My new strategy for dealing with unforgiveness is to spend time with God dissecting the reasons I feel as I do. When I present the problem to God, I tell Him exactly how I feel. Only then do I get proper perspective on an issue. Here’s what I’ve learned:

People are neutral, look deeper. God deals with people, don’t focus on them. Instead look deeper to discover the root of your bitterness, anger, and resentment against them.

Acknowledge, admit, and repent of your true emotions. Name every negative emotion you have against a person. Tell why you feel as you do. Then repent and ask God to take away those negative emotions

Release the person to God. You are now free to move forward in your spiritual growth. As you forgive others, God says He will forgive you. Trust Him and know that He will continue His transformation process in you.